In a move that’s been years in the making, Deerfield Public Schools District 109 officials voted recently to withdraw from the Northern Suburban Special Education District, an 18-district cooperative that provides special education programs and training.
Meanwhile, neighboring North Shore School District 112 tapped the brakes on its own withdrawal from NSSED, allowing for further study of the district’s programming and needs.
In both districts, school officials say they’re working toward providing the best possible programming for special education students while also being careful stewards of tax dollars. Both districts have gradually taken over more services in recent years in an effort to strike that balance.
“You don’t just wake up one day and say ‘Gee, I think we’ll pull out of NSSED,'” said Jenell Mroz, District 109’s executive director of student services, in an interview. “This has really been a long-term process.”
Starting about 10 years ago, Mroz said, the district has been moving toward serving its special needs students independently. As the latest example, the district offered all-day preschool for special needs children for the first time this year.
Mroz called the planned withdrawal “bittersweet” and said the partnership with NSSED over the years has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We really the value the support we’ve had,” Mroz said. “But now we’re able to do this in our own schools.”
The school board vote to draft a letter of intent to withdraw essentially starts the clock on an 18-month notice period, Mroz said, making the withdrawal effective June 30, 2016.
As districts ponder withdrawal, NSSED officials hope to keep them at the table.
In an effort to reduce the cost of membership, the cooperative’s governing board will vote on changes to the billing structure, said Tim Thomas, NSSED superintendent.
If approved, membership would be cheaper for District 112 and 109, though more expensive for some other districts, Thomas said. Using last year’s enrollment numbers for projections, Thomas said District 112 would save $112,000 and District 109 would save $76,000.
“Our intent is to try to find the best billing structure for our 18 member districts,” Thomas said. “There is no one size that fits everyone perfectly.”
Under the proposed changes, more federal dollars for special education would flow out to member districts, but tuition and membership fees would increase, he said. How exactly that affects a given district depends largely on its size and usage of NSSED programs.
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Thomas said he strongly believes that NSSED membership provides districts with high-quality programs and services, as well as professional development and coaching, ensuring their student needs are met.
District 109 school board member Katie Bittner agrees with that sentiment. She cast the only no vote when the school board voted 5-1 for withdrawal.
“I agree that the services should be provided and I (also) believe the NSSED is a very top-quality organization,” Bittner said. “I think we benefit from other things besides just the services for the kids.”
Last school year, District 112 school board members voted to draft the letter of intent to withdraw from NSSED.
On Nov. 20, they voted to rescind that letter while the district continues to study the pros and cons. They also voted in approval of another withdrawal letter, leaving the door open for a July 1, 2016 exit from NSSED.
Under NSSED’s proposed billing changes, the cost of being a member compared to not being a member would be about the same, said Kristin Swanson, assistant superintendent of student services for District 112.
There are benefits of membership, Swanson said, including priority access to professional development opportunities.
Given the recent administrative changes in District 112, and considering the ongoing discussion of school consolidation, Swanson said it made sense to reassess whether leaving NSSED was the correct course of action.
“We will certainly do what’s right for our students and for the community,” Swanson said.